As part of our Northern Art collection, we have an oil painting by the Lancastrian artist, Theodore Major. Major came from humble beginnings in Wigan and, despite his opposition to the gallery system and wealthy collectors purchasing his work, he remains one of the most popular artists of his genre with art critic John Berger referring to his paintings as “among the best English paintings of our time”

THEODORE MAJOR (1908-1999); a large oil on board, 'Works in the Snow', inscribed verso 'This picture is by my father, Theodore Major, Mary Major, December 7th 2007', 75 x 93cm, framed and estimated to achieve £20,000 and £30,000.

Bringing an air of mystery and espionage to the September auction is a first edition of Ian Fleming’s Casino Royale, the very first novel of the James Bond series of books. This book was found during a routine probate valuation at a house in Macclesfield and is likely to reach £8,000 - £12,000, though there is potential for bidding to get very heated, depending on the number of 007 enthusiasts in the room.

FLEMING, IAN; Casino Royale, first edition, first impression, published by Jonathan Cape, London 1953, with dust jacket.

In the furniture section of this auction we have a sizeable collection of furniture by the Italian designer Luigi Pasquale (1822-1894). The items include a walnut and inlaid settee, chair, side table and sewing box. Luigi Pasquale was the great, great grandfather of the vendor and the items that we are auctioning have been in the possession of the family since its creation

LUIGI PASQUALE (1822-1894); an important late 19th century Italian cylinder bureau, the castellated superstructure inlaid with a knight within a tent above a finely detailed door inlaid with the monument erected at Sagliano and inscribed 'Sulle ceneri degli eroi si eleva la grandezza delle nazioni' flanked by mirrored backs, side inlaid panels and exquisite inlaid roll top with two cornucopia full of shields and various fighting implements and a suit of armour and enclosing a slide and satin birch fitted interior with frieze drawer similarly inlaid, raised on ring turned tapering legs to peg feet, bearing Luigi Pasquale original paper label to the reverse. The piece is also signed by Pasquale in the inlaid detail and also inscribed 'Ricordo sagliano 1880 Pietro Micca', width 87cm, height 167cm, depth 59cm.